11 December 2012

Segways over cycles?

| steveu
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From the SMH:

“The ACT government should drop its plans for a cycling city and look instead to get Canberrans commuting to work on Segways and electric scooters, according to the Planning Institute of Australia.

The institute wants the city’s bike lanes upgraded into mini-highways for “personal mobility devices,” and traffic laws changed to allow the use of the vehicles.

The territory’s strategy to get people out of cars and increase the use of Canberra’s cycling network is “fundamentally flawed” and will not deliver the desired outcome, according to PIA’s ACT president Vivian Straw

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milkman said :

Why not?

I don’t want a monopoly created by legalising one companies products. Segways can be built pretty cheaply these days, so they’re not the ‘cutting edge’ of technology like they used to be.

Henry82 said :

As long as they adjust the law for all devices, including pedal assisted bicycles, then i don’t mind.

I don’t want segway getting a single exception

Why not?

King_of_the_Muppets5:28 pm 11 Dec 12

How long before we become the wanker on a segway capital? Who was the report funded by? These machines only go 15km/hr – thats quite a long commute given its less than half the cruising speed of many cyclists.

Whats wrong with bikes or walking. Exercise?

If 50cc push bikes got the A-OK that would be cool

As long as they adjust the law for all devices, including pedal assisted bicycles, then i don’t mind.

I don’t want segway getting a single exception

Is it still unlawful to ride electric bicycles with a motor larger than 200w?

If so, that’d be a good place to start.

Holden Caulfield2:17 pm 11 Dec 12

New Yeah said :

NoAddedMSG said :

Clearly the Planning Institute of Australia has never looked at how much Segways cost. Those things are very expensive.

Werd. Just did a quick look on ebay and you would be looking at a couple of grand.

What I am really curious about is… would Segway afficianados start wrapping themselves up in lycra like many Canberra cyclists are want to do?

Yeah, the wannabe lycra set would never spend as much as a couple of grand on their Le Tour replicas, haha.

NoAddedMSG said :

Clearly the Planning Institute of Australia has never looked at how much Segways cost. Those things are very expensive.

Werd. Just did a quick look on ebay and you would be looking at a couple of grand.

What I am really curious about is… would Segway afficianados start wrapping themselves up in lycra like many Canberra cyclists are want to do?

I’m pretty sure they have these already in Ogdenville, Brockway, and North Haverbrook.

Ah Segways, the lazy arses way to get a”round”.

thebrownstreak69 said :

We should build dedicated Segway lanes. Of course, many Segway users will still use the roads and bike paths (because it’s legal dammit). Cyclists will get cranky about this, “I’m a cyclist out of my way!”.

I like it.

There are Segway users?

Postalgeek said :

As a cycle commuter I don’t mind mixing it up with segways and e-bikes, as long as there is a power limit (I think 25kmph is unreasonable. It should be 40kmph, as with school zones. Seasoned cyclists can cruise between 30 and 40kmph depending on conditions. If people want to go faster than that, they can get a motorbike and ride the road). I’ve thought for a long time that that cyclepaths should be developed with future e-bike use in mind, to make better use of expenditure and encourage more people out of cars.

If it means cycle paths are upgraded to dedicated mini-highways separated from heavy traffic that’s a win for cyclists, PMD and drivers. Rather have a bingle with a segway than a truck.

To exclude cycles makes no sense and I doubt that is their intention.

I fully agree with this, cycling will never be the whole solution in a town like Canberra. If they allowed powered bikes that could travel 40km/hr, they’d get a lot more people off the road.

Holden Caulfield11:47 am 11 Dec 12

The last Straw?

I saw some d***head in a mobility scooter riding on the road at the Jamison Centre yesterday. There was a foot path right next to him which is what really makes it inexcusable.

thebrownstreak6911:13 am 11 Dec 12

We should build dedicated Segway lanes. Of course, many Segway users will still use the roads and bike paths (because it’s legal dammit). Cyclists will get cranky about this, “I’m a cyclist out of my way!”.

I like it.

To be fair though, the article also mentioned electric scooters and (collapsable) electric bikes, and those travel much faster than segways. Not as expensive as well.

As a cycle commuter I don’t mind mixing it up with segways and e-bikes, as long as there is a power limit (I think 25kmph is unreasonable. It should be 40kmph, as with school zones. Seasoned cyclists can cruise between 30 and 40kmph depending on conditions. If people want to go faster than that, they can get a motorbike and ride the road). I’ve thought for a long time that that cyclepaths should be developed with future e-bike use in mind, to make better use of expenditure and encourage more people out of cars.

If it means cycle paths are upgraded to dedicated mini-highways separated from heavy traffic that’s a win for cyclists, PMD and drivers. Rather have a bingle with a segway than a truck.

To exclude cycles makes no sense and I doubt that is their intention.

Yeah, because a transort plan requiring the replacement of bicycles (which can be had for pretty much nothing) with electrically powered mobility devices (with cost hundreds or thousands and have ongoing costs) is going to be an instant winner and be quickly adopted.

Bicycles are already slow enough.

These things are even slower.

So no.

Clearly the Planning Institute of Australia has never looked at how much Segways cost. Those things are very expensive.

Mini highways of mobility devices? I’ve seen where this is headed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1BQPV-iCkU

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